Race horse game



y 1946. L. z. PLEBANEK 2,400,261

RACE HORSE GAME Filed Dec.- 15, 1943 Patented May 14, 1946 U ITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE amen $23,21 Ill.

Application No. 514,579

This invention relates to a game involving a number of objects representing race horses which are adapted to move or travel over an inclined track or surface in a substantially automatic manner thru vibrations produced by sound air waves emitted from any suitable source such, for. ex-

ample, as a radio loud speaker.

} one of the objects of the invention is to provide a highly interesting and amusing game that requires little or no attention or operational ei'-. fort and that operates in a silent and noiseless manner without causing distraction or requiring physical effort.

' In this game, the. objects representing race horses need only be positioned for the starting of a race and this can be accomplished by a simple distance equal substantially to the width of the box to provide a substantially square top'portion 8 although this top portion may be of any suitable configuration. This top portion is closed by a suitable board or boards 9 which fit and are secured between the side walls 8. A central circular opening I0 is formed in the top! which is closed at the bottom by a vibratory diaphragm la secured to the lower surfaces of the boards 9 and which is closed at the top by a transparent cover to. The diaphragm may consist of a membrane of waterproof cellophane or paper while the top cover 8b may consist of transparent paper or glass.

From the forward ends of the straight top 1 of the side walls, the tops of the side walls slope downwardly at an angle of between thirty to about degrees as indicated at H. The-degree of this slope should not exceed the angle of repose of the race horse obects that may be used.

, This angle of repose may vary in accordance with the under surface of the object which maybe roughened to retard the sliding eflect. A race course cover 12 extends over the sloping p rtions of the side walls. This cover 12 is hinged at its I upper end to the forward edge of the fiat top' 8 in view, the invention comprises the novel structure and combinations of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and tures in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a race horse game apparatus involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the movable objects or disks representing a race horse.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view with the cover removed illustrating certain features.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. l In referring now to the drawing which'illustrates one of the embodiments that the invention may assume, there is shown as a matter of illustration a box-like structure comprising parallel side walls 6 which may consist of wood or cardboard or any suitable material. These side walls are suitably spaced apart to provide space for a race course and a proper distance indicating margin upon one side thereof.

Ihese side walls have upper straight edges 1 at their rear portions which extend forwardly a as indicated at l3 and the lower end is provided with a hand hole ll whereby it may be gripped and elevated for a purpose that will later appear.

This cover I2 which may consist of wood or any other suitable material of suitable thickness is formed or provided with along and-substantially rectangular openingor space 15 which is closed at its bottom by a vibratory diaphragm i6 which forms a straight-away race course. The opening I5 is preferably positioned nearer one side edge of the cover than the otherso as to leave a margin I'I adjacent such other side edge for indicating distances as shown in Fig. l. The top of the opening is closed by a transparent cover i 8 of any suitable material. The opening l5 thus becomes an elongated closed chamber.

Positioned upon the diaphragm I6 beneath the cover i8 are suitable movable objects I! designed to represent race horses and which may be in the form of round disks as shown or of any conhead 20 or the like and the bottom surface may be slightly roughened in any sultable'manner as by gluing a piece of sandpaper 2| (Fig. 2)

thereon to provide the necessary friction upon the diaphragm to prevent free sliding movement thereof on the inclined track or course. Any plurality of such objects I! may be used: in the present instance as amatter of illustration four objects or disks are shown.

The upper or starting portion 'of the race course converges as indicated at 22 and anopaque shield 23 positioned beneath the cover It conceals the' starting portion of the course .a that a player cannot see the starting positions of the objects 19. In Figs. 1 and 2, these objects are shown as f having left their starting positions and as approaching the quarter mile post or line. Itmight be mentioned now that before a race is started, the cover 12 is elevated on its hinges it until the objects I! slide or move under the shield 23v where they will irictionally engage the diaphragm when the cover i lowered to its normal position as shown..

It will be noted that the hole III in the top of the device forms a chamber between the diaphragm 8a and the transparent cover 8b and within this chamber, there is mounted a pointer 24 which is adapted to be rotated thru vibrations imparted to the diaphragm 8a. While the pointer 24 may be variously constructed, in the present instance, it is shown as made from wire which has a coiled portion 24a ofiset from the pointer proper and to which a thin paper disk or in-a horizontal arm 28 formed with an oblong loop 29 for weighting the pointer in order to draw and maintain the cork block 30 on the pointer arm in proper frictional engagement with the diaphragm 8a.

The fiat top 8 of the device is shown as divided 30. As soon as one of the objects reaches lthe end or the course, the sound air waves should be 7 shut oil thereby stopping movement or the pointer 24 and the trailing objects ll. when the pointer third and if such object finishes as chosen, the

. game afi'ords an interesting variety of scoring points when fully utilized.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a very fascinating game has been provided that affords an interesting variety of plays for scoring points. In addition the game requires. no close into scoring sections Si, 32, 33 and 34 in accordance with the number of objects although this is not necessary. Each scoring section shows the winning odds of the first object to reach the end of the bourse, the place odds of the object that finishes second and the show odds of the object that finishes third. These objects may have names or be differently colored for the purpose of selection by the players. During theplaying of the game, the pointer 24 is adapted to be stopped when pointing toward one of the scoring sections and the numbers represented by the odds may be used as scoring points in any suitable manner. In the event that the objects i9 are not named nor differently colored, they may be selected by the positions occupied from sound air waves into the enclosure formed by the side walls 6 and the top portions 8 and I2 although the invenizion is not limited to such means.

In use, the device may be positioned with its open rear end directed toward the source 'of the sound air waves which may be the radio loud speaker 36 shown in Fig. 2, with the objects I9, of course under the shield 23 in starting position.

- The sound air wavs emitted by the loud speaker will vibrate the diaphragms l5 and 8a and cause the. objects 19 and the pointer 24 to move and function; the objects sliding down the inclined course and the pointer 24 rotatin thru the influence of the action imparted to the cork block attention and can be played while enjoying sublect matter on the radio. In this respect, the game becomes substantially automatic when played.

I am aware that many changes may be made and various details of construction varied without departing from the spirit of this invention so I do not propose limiting the patent granted thereon otherwise than necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game of the class described, a structure having an inclined course, a vibratory diaphragm forming the bottom of said'course, a lurality of objects adapted for positioning at one end of said course for movement toward the other end thereof and means for emitting sound air waves for vibrating said diaphragm and causing said objects to descend said inclined course and means. atthe upper end of said course for concealing said objects from view at their starting positions.

2. In a game of the class described, a structure having an inclined course, a vibratory diaphragm forming the bottom of said course, objects adapted for traveling movements down said inclined course means for concealing said objects from view at their starting positions, hinge means connecting said course with said structure for allowing said course to be elevated for shifting said objects to the upper end of said course and means including sound air waves for causing vibration 4 movement over said course from the highestpoint to the lowest point thereof, means for causing vibration of said diaphragm for causing such movement of said objects and means for causing a shifting movement of said objects from the lowest point to the highest point of said course and means extending over the course at its highest point for concealing said objects in their starting positions;

4. A race horse game comprisin an inclined track; a vibratory diaphragm forming the bottom oi the track, a plurality of objects positioned upon said track and having anglesoi repose with said track to prevent free sliding movements, means including sound air waves for causing vibration of said diaphragm for causing said objects to travel down said inclined track and means for hingedly supporting the upper end of said track for allowing the same to be elevated for shiftin said objects to. the upper or starting position of said track and a shield extending over the upper end of the course for concealing said objects in their starting positions. I

5. In a gam of the class described, a box-like structure having a flat top portion adjacent one end and an inclined top portion hinged to said flat top portion and extending to the other end, said inclined top portion having an elongated opening extending longitudinally thereof, 9. vibratory diaphragm closing the bottom of said opening, a transparent member closing the top of said opening and movable objects positioned upon a said diaphragm adapted for travelling movements down said inclined top, the rear end of said structure being open for the admission of sound air waves for vibrating said diaphragm, said inclined top portion being adapted for upward tilting movement for shifting the positions of said objects.

6. A box-like structure having side walls, a closed end and an open end. and having a flat top adiacent one end and an' inclined course I diaphragm."

course having a vibrating bottom, a plurality of objects adapted 'iormovement down said course upon said vibratory bottom, means surrounding said course and providing an opening in opposed relation to said inclined course and means for directing sound air waves thru said opening for vibrating said bottom for the purpose set forth.

8. In a device of the class described, a structure having an inclined top portion provided with a vibratory bottom, means for hinging said top portion at its upper end for upward tilting movement, racing objects adapted for movement over said inclined top, said structure having an enclosed air guideway leading to said vibratory bottom and means for directing sound air waves into said guideway for vibrating said bottom.

9. In a device of the class described, an inclined course having a vibratory bottom, a plurality of objects adapted for movement over said vibratory bottom from the upper'to the lower end thereof, a shield extending over the 'upper end of said course for concealing said objects in their starting positions, means surrounding said course and providing an opening in opposed relation to said inclined course and means for directing sound air waves through said opening for vibrating said LEONARD Z. PLEBANEK. 

